The Red Ribbon
by ChristabelSB
Summary: For Valentine’s Day. Late at night, Harry tells a special someone about the first time he liked a girl. H/H slightly fluffy. Short one-shot.


For Valentine's Day. Late at night, Harry tells a special someone about the first time he liked a girl. H/H slightly fluffy. Short one-shot. Written for a contest in the Ravenclaw common room on hexrpg.com. I'm sorry this was uploaded so late for Valentine's Day, but there were some complications. Be a responsible reader and please review after reading!

Disclaimer: The magical world of Harry Potter and its wonderful characters belongs to the talented Ms. J.K. Rowlings. Don't sue me, all you will ever receive is one measly penny. I make no profit off this whatsoever. Plot inspired by a similar fanfic I had read.

The Red Ribbon

_by ChristabelSB_

Harry didn't like Valentine's Day. It was, in his opinion, a mushy holiday. To the chagrin of all the professors, after Lockhart had left, Hogwarts retained the tradition of having sour-looking dwarves dress up as cupids and delivering cards and gifts to students during the day. The girls all went crazy during this, and squealed in their girly voices over the things they received.

Earlier in the morning he had exchanged cards with Ron and Hermione. To them, it wasn't a big deal like everybody made it out to be. His interest in Cho Chang had faded and evaporated. He was bewildered as he kept being delivered card after card after card from secret admirers. After classes he had hidden himself in his dorm. Later, he curled up on a couch in front of a fireplace located in the Gryffindor common room. The room was cozy, and outside he knew the sky was clear and the moon full and bright. He was reading a book Hermione had given him for Christmas. Sensing another presence in the room, he lifted his eyes and met another pair.

Hermione was in her cotton pajamas and her feet were bare. She had a thin blanket wrapped around her like a cloak. He placed a slightly tattered red ribbon between the pages and closed the book, and placed it on the table in front of him. He patted the space next to him, inviting her to sit down. Her footsteps were soft as she padded across the room. She lowered herself on the couch and cuddled up to him. She draped the blanket around them, and gave a sigh of content.

"Why are you up so late 'Mione?" He found himself whispering, as though he would wake the entire house.

She poked him. "Why are you so late up yourself?" She, too, was whispering.

"Couldn't sleep. You?"

"Same here. Lavendar and Parvati made me stay up with their constant chatter about the attentions and presents they received today. Valentine's Day is _so_ overrated. After they fell asleep I was still wide awake. Why couldn't you sleep?"

Harry grimaced. "Ron was absolutely _livid_ when he found out that Seamus had given Ginny a box of chocolates and an enchanted rose. It's hard to sleep when the tension is so thick." Hermione sighed.

"Yeah, Ginny told me what happened."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, watching the flames dance and logs crackling in the fireplace. Hermione's eyes fell on the ribbon sticking out from the book. She noticed that he has put it down when she came in.

"What's with the ribbon?" She was curious, as to why a boy would use a ribbon as a bookmark. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see his face flame.

"Ah. So it's from a girl. Anyone I know?" She felt an emotion she had never felt before rise up, but she pushed it down. 

"No."

"Oh okay." Silence. A log popped in the fireplace.

"It was given to me by my first friend and the first girl that I liked."

She perked up. "Ooh, sounds like a good story. Can you tell me? Please?"

"Wel-"

"_Please_?" And then she gave him The Look. The look that always made Ron and him give in to whatever she wanted. If arguing or tricking them didn't work, then she used The Look. He knew he was going to give in eventually, so he might as well give in now. He sighed. Hermione got comfortable, and looked inquiringly up at him. "Okay, this is what happened…

_They were are the shopping mall, buying new clothes for __Dudley__. He seemed to outgrow his clothes every month, and was rounder than an orange. Harry was brought along on the excursion, as he was too young to be left at home. He walked 10 meters obediently behind the Dursleys, as ordered by Uncle Vernon. He knew the drill. If the Dursleys happened to bump into someone they knew, Harry was supposed to go and make himself as invisible as possible._

_The mall was a whirlwind of sounds, smells, and colors. Contemporary music blared from hidden speakers and echoed around the spacious area. His eyes were opened wide, drinking in every single second of this treat. People bumped and jostled him, but he hardly noticed. Pausing before a display of expensive toys, he gazed at them whimsically. The Dursleys would never buy him something like this, much less give him anything other than basic necessities._

_He reached out a hand to touch a shiny red toy train, but snatched it back as he noticed the salesperson shooting him a reproachful look. Feeling very small, he looked for the Dursleys. They were gone! Panic whelmed up inside him, and the mall suddenly seemed a big and dangerous place. But the feeling was gone as soon as it came. He was free! Free to wander around, and look at whatever he pleased. He knew he would get punished later, but right now he didn't care. He didn't want to give up his first taste of freedom._

_Now that he had freedom for the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do with it. What stores should he visit? What items would he behold? He let his feet guide him, as he wandered from store to store, examining each and every item excitedly. Who knew that there were so many wonderful things in the world! Things that beeped, things that flashed, and things that-_

"Harry, how old were you?"

"Erm, I was five. I haven't seen or known much of the world."

"You had a crush on a girl when you were _five_?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Why?"

She muttered something about boys and hormones, and this prompted him to stick his tongue playfully out at her.

_Soon he was thirsty and hungry, as he hadn't eat anything but a wrinkled apple since breakfast. His stomach felt like it was a bottomless pit, and it ached when he walked past the food court. Enticing smells tempted him mercilessly, and he quickly walked in the opposite direction. He drifted with the crowd, going with the flow of people. Suddenly, before him the crowd seemed to part and he beheld the most amazing sight. The store seemed to have a blinding white light surrounding it, coming from within._

_He let the store beckon and draw him closer. When he was only a few feet away, he seemed to fly forward and pressed his hands and face against the display window. He thought he heard someone gasp, and the thought fuzzily ran through his mind that it was probably him who had gasped._

_Toys! So many toys in one place! The sight was like ambrosia to him, and he thought that this was the best day of his life. The sales clerk eyed him oddly, with his face squashed against the window and eyes wide open in childish delight. He realized that he could enter the store, and he approached the entrance slowly, feeling like he was about to enter the most perfect place ever._

_Reaching the entrance, he looked at the line separating the store from the rest of the mall. He found that he was trembling, and he quickly hopped inside, afraid that the wonderful store would disappear as quickly as it appeared to him. He felt that he had entered a magical realm. The ceiling was tall, with beams of light streaming through the windows. As far as his eyes can see, there were toys everywhere. Everything seemed to sparkle, and joyful laughter filled the room. Children of all ages were running around, playing and shrieking in delight at the top of their lungs._

_He let out a deep breath, his breath making a whooshing noise. He hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath. The next few minutes were total bliss for him. His hands caressed every toy he could find, and tried to remember each experience, as this was most likely the only time he could do so. A boy a little older than him beckoned him to join in their game of chase._

_He felt his eyes tear up. He had never been invited to play by __Dudley__ and his friends. He raised a hand and dashed away his tears, and he energetically joined their game. Adrenaline coursed though his body as he ran and chased the other children. His heart racing, his body breaking into a sweat, and all he could think about was hoping that this would never end. He was deliriously happy, and his mouth was open and stretched into a smile, as he gasped and panted. He felt something bubbling inside of him, and tried to hold it inside. But it was no use._

_Something welled up from inside him, and a sound escaped from his throat and mouth. He was confused for a moment, puzzled about what just happened. He couldn't stop the sound from coming out of his mouth. It then dawned on him that he was laughing! For the first time in his life, Harry Potter was laughing! He threw back his head and laughed: a sound of pure and simple joy. _

_He stopped running as he heard a strange noise. He thought it came from somewhere behind the display of large stuffed animals. Panting slightly, he went to investigate. He peered around the display, and saw a girl._

_The girl looked about his age, with her brown hair plaited into two long braids tied with red ribbons. She was dressed in a red plaid jumper with white knee socks and shiny black shoes. Her head was bent, and he heard the strange noise again, and knew it was coming from the girl. He edged closer, and the girl's head snapped up. He noticed that she was a few inches shorter than him, and that she was on the verge of tears. Her luminous brown eyes were shiny with unshed tears. She reminded him of a fragile doll he had seen earlier in the store._

_Harry felt like he shouldn't belong here, standing next to this girl, who seemed well-off financially. He felt inadequate next to this nicely dressed girl in his large, baggy clothes, untidy hair sleek with sweat, and glasses too big for his face. He opened his mouth, and uttered a sound. He didn't know what to do._

_"W-will-will you h-help me find my Mummy and-and Daddy?" she said, her voice a shaky whisper. "Please?"_

_He felt something warm inside of him as he looked into her warm trusting eyes. Her eyes were begging him to help. No one had ever trusted him in his life. He had to help this girl. He wanted to help her. "Er- sure. Do you know where they're going?" He said in a small voice. She mutely shook her head, causing her pigtails to fly about. "Okay, we'll just walk around till we see them." He unwillingly made his way to the entrance, and exited. Glancing back one last time at the wonderful store, he saw the girl following him closely. He stopped to get his bearings, and she bumped into his back._

_"S-sorry," she muttered._

_"It's ok. Do you know what they're going to buy?" He thought that if he at least knew what they were looking for, then he could locate the stores they were sure to visit. Again, she shook her head no and he sighed inwardly. Finding her parents seem to be getting more impossible. He began walking slowly, and stopped to let her peer into every store._

_"Do you see them?" he would ask._

_And she would reply "No, I don't," in a tiny voice. So they walked, searching and hopeful. Harry walked for what it seemed like hours, and his feet felt like they were made of heavy bricks. He hardly registered in his brain the stores they passed, and he would automatically pause and hear himself faintly ask her "Do you see them?" He was tired, and very, very hungry. It must be close to lunchtime, he noted._

_His stomach growled, reminding him of a monster seen on the telly. The girl glanced at him. She had taken to walking at his side instead of behind him."I have some money. Do you want a cookie?" she hesitantly asked. He stared at her like she was the greatest thing since sliced bread. No one had ever offered him a cookie before. The girl was noticeably flustered by his attention and fidgeted. "M-mummy gave me some money." Her lip quivered at the mention of her mother, and he could see her eyes start to tear up._

_"Sure." He quickly agreed. He didn't want her to cry, as he hated to see anybody cry, the only exception being __Dudley__. He started off walking in the general direction that he remembered the food court was in. His steps were now more brisk, since he had a new purpose. She blinked away her tears, and followed him. Noticing how she was trying to catch up with him, he slowed down. "Sorry," he apologized. He caught a whiff of baking cookies, and his stomach growled again. Sniffing the air like a dog, he caused the girl to giggle. They made their way to the cookie store, and he gazed at the sight before him. Running, he went and stood in the line with the girl on his heels._

_Underneath the glass counter was a display of all kinds of cookies. Some had chocolate chips, sprinkles, icing, and nuts. He could just feel his mouth watering. He couldn't decide on which of the baked goodies he should get. Should he try the one with chocolate chunks, or the one with white icing and rainbow sprinkles, or the one with-_

"Is that what all you boys ever think about?" Hermione said dryly. "Food?"

Harry grinned wickedly. "Either that, or-"

She cut him off. "Never mind, I don't want to hear it." She made a face at him, and he laughed.

_While he was trying to decide, he didn't notice the little girl edging closer to him. She stared at the grownups with wide eyes, and they in turn stared back at her. What were two children doing in a cookie shop without their parents? She grabbed onto the bottom of his shirt and he paused in his deciding to look down at her. She flushed._

_"I-I don't like grownups, except for my parents, very much. They're very big and scary," she whispered._

_"I don't like grownups either," he whispered back. "Especially my relatives." He hesitated, then asked, half hoping she would say no. "D-do you want me to order for us?" Talking to grownups made him nervous, as he was fearful of them. Especially Aunt Marge. He suppressed a shudder._

_"Yes please." The anxiety left her eyes, and she looked relieved._

_"What do you want?"_

_"The one with sprinkled cinnamon."_

_"Okay."_

_He dreaded their turn to order. He couldn't back out now, he thought as he glanced at the girl's trusting eyes. He had to do this. For her. To his dismay, the line shortened too fast for his liking. It seemed like no time at all before it was their turn to order. He unwillingly dragged his feet and moved up. Facing the cash register, he tilted his head to look up at the cashier._

_"Can I help you, little man?" the cashier asked brightly and beamed at him._

_It was unnerving. He opened his mouth to speak, and found it dry and feeling like sandpaper. "Er- I would like t-two cookies. The o-ones sprinkled with-with cin-cinnamon. Please." He said shakily, his voice shrill. His ears were beet red, and he could feel the blood pounding in his head._

_"Okay coming right up." The cashier deposited two cookies into a paper bag and handed it to him. Harry reached out with trembling fingers, and grasped the bag, his eyes wide and never leaving the cashier's face. The two stared at each other for a moment, with the cashier looking inquiringly at him. Harry felt a tiny poke at his side. He turned and gave the girl a surprised look, causing her to flush. She reached inside the pocket of her jumper and shoved something into his hand. He looked down at the bill he clutched in his hand. It was money. She poked him again and he looked up at her._

_"Pay him," she whispered._

_"Oh!" Of course! As his uncle always said, nothing is free. He timidly placed the note on the counter. The cash register and opened, printing a receipt. The cashier began counting out their change, but was interrupted by the girl._

_"K-keep the change," she squeaked, before quickly darting behind Harry. They exited the shop, with the little girl grasping the back of his shirt. He spotted a fountain, and led her over there. The two sat side by side on the flat, stone edge of the fountain. Wordlessly he took a cookie and passed the bag to her. He looked at the baked good in wonder. He inhaled the wonderful aroma, and tentatively took a bite. It was delicious! He closed his eyes, and savored every morsel slowly. After ingesting the cookie, he licked his fingers of the cinnamon powder one by one._

_Glancing out of the corner of his eye at the little girl, he saw that she looked very peaceful, nibbling on her cookie. __Crystal__ water cascaded gently behind her, and the light reflected across the shiny copper pennies on the bottom. He took a deep breath, inhaling the cool and rejuvenating air. She licked her fingers, and brushed the crumbs off her clothes before turning and faced him. "What now?" she asked softly._

_What now? he asked himself. Opening his mouth to speak, he caught a sudden movement. He turned, and what he saw made his stomach clench. It was __Dudley__! Stupid, fat, ugly __Dudley__! He jumped to his feet, not willing to let __Dudley__ ruin his one taste of freedom. He also had not found the girl's parents, and he didn't want to break his promise to the one person who had ever trusted him._

_He spotted something far worse. Behind __Dudley__ was his aunt and uncle. Their backs were turned, chatting with another couple. Probably another business associate. Dudley tugged on the bottom of his father's shirt, causing Uncle Vernon to turn around and shoot his son a slightly irritated look. __Dudley__ pointed Harry and screamed, "What is Harry doing with an icky girl?"_

_Then the little girl did a very surprising thing. She screamed, "At least I can still fit in the tunnel slides!" and stuck out her tiny pink tongue. Dudley's face turned blotchy with anger, reminding Harry of a tomato, and he giggled. No one had ever insulted __Dudley__ before, and he felt elated. His smiled and high-fived the surprised girl who high-fived him back cautiously. His smile faded, however, when Uncle Vernon moved towards him, his face livid. He didn't think, just acted._

_Grabbing the girl's hand, he took off. He heard an angry yell from Uncle Vernon, and glanced over his shoulder to see __Dudley__ giving chase. He sped up, and saw __Dudley__ trip and fall, giving a cry as he fell. The look on his face was absolutely priceless. His legs pumped faster and faster, his lungs burning, everything a blur. Turn here, turn there, dodge that person, watch out for that baby stroller. Watch the stairs, make sure you don't trip. Letting go of her hand, he finally collapsed on a bench in front of the entrance for the toilets. Both were gasping, hearts pounding. When he had caught his breath, he asked her, "Why did you do that? I could never do something like that and get away with it."_

_"He called me icky. Girls aren't icky, boys are," and with that, she stuck her nose daintily in the air._

_"Well, even though you're a girl, I don't think you're icky at all," he admitted. It was true. She didn't have any cooties, well, he didn't think she had any. And she wasn't a crybaby like all girls were. Sure, she had looked like she was going to cry a few times, but that was understandable, being estranged from your parents. He felt a pang. Her parents! He had to find them, before the Dursleys find him again._

_He hopped off the bench and offered a hand to help her up. She grabbed his hand, and he noticed how small it was in his and thought once again how much she reminded him of a doll. They walked at a leisurely pace, and entered a department store. He wrinkled his nose when it came into contact with several strong fragrances. Some were like flowers, some were sweet, and some were musky. She glanced at the expression on his face and explained._

_"That's perfume. My Mummy has some. And that's make-up, it's like paint and Mummy says it's to make women more beautiful." She pointed at a counter. Ah. Girly stuff. He repressed an urge to shudder when they walked past a counter overflowing with containers filled with the stuff. Eww. He tentatively tried to strike up a conversation._

_"So, what kinds of stuff do you like?"_

_"__Reading__, and playing with my dolls. I go to school, and I'm a kindergartener," she said, stating the last part proudly._

_ "Eh? What's school?"_

_She stopped walking, and his arm was jerked backwards. He faced her astonished expression. "Why, it's a place where you learn, silly!"_

_"Oh." They continued walking again, and soon came to a set of metal double doors. The girl seemed to have relaxed since they had started talking, and squeezed his hand excitedly._

_"Ooh! Can we go on? Can I push the button?"_

_"Um, sure." He didn't know what was so special about these set of doors, and watched as the little girl press the glowing arrow pointing up by smacking her palm against it. Immediately, the doors opened with a ching. He could his feel his draw drop. Wow! He didn't know doors could open like that! She pulled him inside, and the doors closed behind them._

_"Let's see, we want to go…up!" She pressed another button by the same method used earlier, and he felt the floor lurch and start to rise forward. His eyes darted around fearfully, but the girl squeezed his hand reassuringly. He saw that they were in a small glass room that was now moving up. Astounded, he pressed his face against one of the walls and watched everything below slowly shrink. This wasn't so bad, and in fact, he enjoyed it. It was something to be up above people and watch them scurry about._

_He was disappointed when the doors opened and they exited. He surveyed his surroundings. Near them were various articles of clothing hanging on racks. He led the little girl through the aisles of clothes and out the department store. They passed many colorful clothes, made of all kinds of materials. Some fabrics were smooth and cool, and some he didn't like because they scratched and made him itch._

_They walked on for a while longer, before he glanced at her. She was craning her head in every direction, always searching. Her eyes suddenly landed on something and lit up. "Kittens!" She squealed and pulled him over. The kittens were being displayed in the window of a pet shop. They were of all colors, and blinked at them with their large eyes. "I've always wanted a kitten, but Daddy wouldn't let me. He says that they scratch up the furniture." She sighed. "Well, we better move on." She let Harry lead her away from the window, and out of the way of an oncoming crowd._

_They were pressed up against the side of another store, when she gave a cry of happiness. "There's my Mummy and Daddy!" Her eyes were shining, and full of light. She turned to him, and for the first time, smiled. He noticed that her two front teeth were missing, and that he still was holding her hand. But he didn't mind. "Thank you for helping me." He got a warm feeling in his stomach, and felt dizzy as she hugged him. He wasn't used to such affectionate gestures. Pulling back, she asked, "Friends forever?"_

_Beaming at him, she extended her tiny pinky finger. Tears filled his eyes, and he numbly locked his pinky with hers. "Friends forever," he choked out. Friends. No one had ever wanted to be friends with him. She let her hand drop, and took the end of one of her braids. Untying the ribbon, she pressed it into his hand._

_"Here, something for you. I don't know how to thank you." His first gift. He gently folded the ribbon, fingers trembling, and placed it into his pocket. "Well, bye."_

_"Bye." He watched his only friend leave with sadness in his heart. She ran to catch up with the crowd, and the crowd seemed to part for her. A brilliant light seemed to shine on her, and he knew it came from within. She glanced over her shoulder, and waved at him._

_"Bye bye!" she called. "Hope we meet again someday!" He waved back, and happiness flooded his being. Harry etched every single moment onto his brain, and knew that for the rest of his life he would never forget this day. He was then hit with the a sudden realization. He didn't even know her name. But that didn't matter, as from now on she will be remembered as The Girl or Friend._

_Someone roughly grabbed his shirt from the back and he was yanked around to face a very angry Uncle Vernon. His face was red, and he was breathing heavily. "Think you could embarrass your aunt and I in front of an important business associate and sneak off to have fun with your little girlfriend? I think not," he hissed._

"…and later in the car I was lectured and when we got home I was punished severely. The end." Harry finished his story and found Hermione staring at him. No, she was _gaping_ at him. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide. "What?" He asked in a shrill whisper.

She blinked. "Harry, that girl was me. _Me._" She pointed at herself. "You _helped_ me!" It was unbelievable.

"No way!" His eyes almost popped out of his head, making his glasses slide down his nose. He pushed them back up distractedly. He laughed. "No way! That girl was _you_?!?" He laughed.

"Yes! That was me! I remember it perfectly now, it came back to me as you were telling the story. I can't believe that was me!" She dissolved into giggles.

"I can't believe it either." He couldn't. Hermione was also the Friend, and also the first girl he- Oh no. He had told her that she was the girl he liked. He panicked. Hopefully, she wouldn't remember that part, but in the back of his mind he knew that his hope was futile. She was a smart girl, and will put two and two together. It was weird. The Girl and Hermione weren't the same person until about a minute ago.

"Yeah, I can't believe it either." She shook her head. "I can't believe that I was the-" Her voice trailed off, eyes widening in recognition. Oh no, he thought. Here it comes. "-that I was the first girl you liked," she said slowly her face a picture of shock. Flushing, he covered his face with the blanket. The common room was painstakingly silent. Harry was despairing and jumped when he felt her hand on his knee. Lowering the blanket slowly, he was afraid that she was angry, or worse, hated him.

But she was smiling. Smiling! "It's okay," she said softly. "You were the first boy I liked too." What! He dropped the blanket and stared at her in shock.

"You _liked_ me?" This time it was her turn to flush. She liked him.

"Yeah, you were so kind and helpful. I used to be convinced that I was in love with you, and would dream about meeting you again someday. I would have never guessed that he had was one of my best friends! You know what?"

He was still reeling in shock. "What?"

"I still like you." It was the third time tonight that he was stunned. Flabbergasted, he opened his mouth but closed it. For the first time, he really noticed Hermione Granger. The firelight flickered across her finely boned face, and across her hair. Her once bushy and mousy hair had grown over the years into silky curls of deep brown. She gazed at him, emotions swirling in her eyes. Wetting her lips, she closed her eyes and leaned forward. Harry fuzzily leaned forward, eyes closing and his heart pounding.

Their lips met in a sweet kiss, hers tasting like strawberries. It was exhilarating and everything they had dreamed of. Pulling back slowly, his breathing uneven, Harry gazed into her eyes, so much like chocolate brown pools. How come he had never noticed his friend before? She was pretty, smart, and caring. In her he could still see the little girl from years ago, the one whose smile had lit up his whole life in that one instant. "You know what?" he whispered.

"What?" she whispered back.

"I still like you too. Happy Valentine's Day, 'Mione my Friend."

End

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed this! This is my first fic, and H/H at that, even though I'm much more of a Hr/D shipper. I was rushed and wrote this in the span of two days. I'm such a procrastinator-_- I know I made Hermione such a crybaby, and I feel terrible about that now. She's my favorite character. I know the kiss was boring, but I lack experience in that art so I don't know how it would have felt.

Harry's quote at the end was a little weird, so let me explain. He calls her "Friend" because she was THE Friend, the one that changed his life forever. His feelings for her are beyond friendship now^-^ Eh, hardly any fluff, I noticed. I'm new to writing. I don't like the title much, it's not very creative or original. But it will have to do. *sighs*

When you review, please tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, and how I can improve. Be honest, it won't hurt my feelings. Flames are even appreciated!


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